The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights recently announced that it has secured resolution agreements (RAs) with 31 universities to cease their partnerships with The Ph.D. Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students from underrepresented racial backgrounds in their efforts to pursue doctoral degrees in business.
Since 1994, The Ph.D. Project has helped more than 1,500 Black, Latino, and Native American students earn their doctoral degree. There are now more than 240 participating students in Ph.D. programs. Last spring the Ph.D. Project changed its policies to allow students from any racial or ethnic group to participate in its programs.
In May 2025, the DOE initiated an investigation into 45 higher education institutions for collaborating with The Ph.D. Project, ultimately determining that these colleges and universities “violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by partnering with an organization that discriminates on the basis of race.”
The 31 institutions who did sign RAs with the DOE have already terminated their partnerships with The Ph.D. Project or have agreed to do so. Each university also agreed to review its other partnerships with external organizations to identify any other agreements that violate Title VI.
“This is the Trump effect in action: institutions of higher education are agreeing to cut ties with discriminatory organizations, recommitting themselves to abiding by federal law, and restoring equality of opportunity on campuses across the nation,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “We are hopeful that other institutions with similarly discriminatory practices will follow suit, paving the way for a future where we reject judging individuals by the color of their skin and once again embrace the principles of merit, excellence, and opportunity.”
The list of the 31 universities that have signed RAs with the DOE can be found here. The DOE is in ongoing negotiations with the remaining 14 institutions.
